Daiji na hito
by Ms. Mumpsimus
Summary: Summary: And up until now, he didn't regret clinging to that memory. No matter how much it hurt him. No matter how many times everybody told him to let go and forget.


**Title: **_Daiji na hito_

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto.

**Summary:** And up until now, he didn't regret clinging to that memory. No matter how much it hurt him. No matter how many times everybody told him to let go and forget.

**Warning/s: **UNBETAed. Bad grammar. Baaad grammar, you heard me?

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><p>..<p>

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There's a gentle assurance of comfort in the wind.

He was standing at the tallest peak in Konoha – the Hokage Mountain, feeling the blowing of the wind on his face and the warm rays of setting sun in the east. Naruto inhaled the cold air that was dancing around him, and he smiled a little knowing that after this day, his ultimate dream would be finally fulfilled. His golden locks danced in the unison of the gentle whistling of air, his clothes were moving like they were breathing on their own and the cerulean wonders of his eyes were shining brightly as if seeing something beyond the fateful sky.

There was something in the nature that was bringing him countless of unforgettable memories.

But amidst the thousands of memories overlapping into his mind that time, there was a certain memory that asserted its importance; walked in front of the other memories and tilted its head to stare at him – its dark and heavy eyes were imploring him to acknowledge it.

Ironically the same thing he was doing since he was twelve and was still doing up until now.

Beseeching to be acknowledged – to be accepted.

Naruto blinked the dust that clung to his eyebrows and closed his eyes for a moment.

It was a memory that would never, ever forget.

Something that was enough to make him cry and smile at the same time.

It was a memory of his childhood that all of the people of Konoha were part of. It was something they all experienced, took they part in, and later forgotten, as if it never happened.

Everyone managed to forget.

Everyone but Naruto.

He never tried in the first place.

He believed that there was nothing wrong in holding on to memories. Even if they're repulsive and wounding. They were still a part of you and leaving them behind would be like leaving a part of yourself behind.

Naruto eyes caught a leaf that was dancing in the air and gently grabbed it. He stared at it and wondered how many leaves were now dancing in the same air that he was breathing now. Naruto could already taste the changing in the season. He marveled on the distant falling leaves, dancing and swirling around Konoha and how they each of them slowly bade their goodbyes to their branches.

Soon, it'll be winter.

_Winter, huh._ Naruto stared at the

It'll be hard to walk over the snow-filled pavement.

Shika would probably say _mendokuse_ again while scratching his head.

Naruto boyishly grin at the thought.

Shino would probably be just silent. Naruto scrunched his nose a little when he remembered his friend. _Creepy friend, _he added as he smiled again, thinking about the times Shino had scared the wits out of him because of the guy's creepy ways of showing that he _cared_ for his friends.

Kiba would… Naruto smiled. One thing's for sure – the guy didn't have to walk in the snow. Kiba had Akamura after all.

But all of them would probably be angry at him.

Hina-chan.

Ino.

Tenten.

Neji.

Bushy eyebrow.

The sand siblings.

Naruto grinned as he brushed his nose with his fist. What? He could always just apologize later.

But a lifetime's not enough to say sorry, he mused.

However, he knew that no matter what, he still had to apologize.

To Iruka sensei.

To baa-chan.

Kakashi-sensei.

And especially to Sakura-chan.

And Sai. Naruto suppressed a laugh.

That stupid, pervert, too-smart-for-his-own-good fellow.

The sky was now tainted with warm colors of sunlight and the dancing green leaves were making it more evident.

It was as if the leaves were constantly reaching for one another in the middle of the mischievous gusting of wind, perpetually staining the sky in warm and calm way.

Naruto smiled, the tangerine color of the sky was mirroring his natural cerulean eyes, when he saw another leaf blowing towards his direction. Doing nothing, the blond ninja gaped in surprise when the leaf gently settled on his hand. Naruto's eyes grew warmer; smile was reaching his eyes, when the leaf landed beside the first foliage he caught in the wind a while ago. As if the it was actually looking for the other one.

He hold on to the two leaves, enclosing them gently on his hand, while thinking about that particular memory that he still cherished until now.

The happiness.

The laughter.

All of those things they shared.

Including the dark, painful, and agonizing times.

He embraced all of it.

And up until now, he didn't regret clinging to that memory.

No matter how much it hurt him.

No matter how much the truth slapped him on the face for countless times.

No matter how many times everybody told him to let go and forget.

He didn't.

Naruto didn't forget.

Maybe because he simply couldn't.

He was the closest one to that memory after all.

He let his eyes wandered to the infinite horizon showering his sight.

He was Naruto Uzumaki.

The nine-tailed beast's container.

He treasured his friends more than anything else in the world and somehow, through the course of time, many of them learned to treasure him back.

The name of his precious memory was called Uchiha Sasuke.

And today, he would finally fulfill his life-time dream.

A dream he dreamt of achieving since he was twelve years old.

Or maybe it was a dream that he only realized when Uchiha Sasuke began to turn his back on the Konoha village.

On his friends.

On Naruto.

The same way life had turn its back on him when his brother murdered his entire clan in just one night ten years ago.

Naruto opened his bag pack and took out an old picture inside of an old frame; a knowing smile was etching on his face – a bright smile as bright as the blinding sunlight in the morning – and carefully placed it on floor of the rocky mountain where he was standing. The warm light coming from the sun was enveloping the photo as if caressing it for the last time.

Naruto stared at the blinding warm light of the setting sun, fixing his jacket and his ninja head band. Breathing in a fistful of air, he bended as he stretched his body as if preparing it for an unseen battle.

There was just one thing that kept on loudly echoing through Naruto's very core. Speaking as if it had its own voice, owning his body and soul like it was originally its property. Because all these time, Naruto had been certain about one thing and he had no plans on changing that.

His time with Sasuke was the best time he ever had.

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_My name's Naruto Uzumaki._

_I'm eighteen years of age._

_And today, I'm going to die._

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><p><em>"There was brotherhood between people; a kinship that even time could not break."<em>

**- ****The Kite Runner**

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